CHRISTIAN CHARACTER

Salt is the combination of two basic chemicals: sodium and chlorine. When they are combined they form salt. Christian character is composed of two important ingredients: faith and works. As chlorine gas is a deadly poison by itself, so faith without works is dead. Metal sodium alone is likewise destitute of the saving quality of salt. So is works without faith. As the chemical union of these two elements forms salt, so faith and works, when united, give life and efficiency to Christian character.

Christian character is genuinely qualitative.When Jesus said to "have salt in yourselves" He was inviting us to link up to the authentic Source of Taste! The Psalmist put it this way: "taste and see that the Lord is good" (Ps.34:8). Later, Peter adds: "now that you have tasted that the Lord is good....grow up in your salvation" (I Pet.2:2-3). The most compelling evidence then is demonstrated through what Paul calls "the fruit of the Spirit"(Gal.5:22), which includes "love, joy, peace patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control."

If the Church is to regain its influence in our present decadent society, perhaps we need to
take another serious look at what Scripture says about Christian character and start putting it into practice.

CHARACTER AND REPUTATION

Abraham Lincoln stated: "character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." Character is what a person is on the inside. Like the backbone in the body, character is the spinal column of the will. Originally, the word "character" signified a sharp pointed instrument or engraving tool. It is like a sharp scalpel in a surgeon's hand.

When James asks: "can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs?" (James 3:12) he was linking character to conduct. In other words, the quality of character will be reflected in the quality of our conduct. Just as a good tree is judged by the kind of fruit it produces, so Christian character is measured by the way we live.

Daniel was snatched from his home and placed in a godless environment. Yet the influence of a permissive Babylonian society did not tarnish his character. He resolved not to defile himself (Daniel 1:8). Honesty and integrity were the hallmarks of his character.

What makes the difference? It is the quality of character that is God centered. James states: "who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom" which results in "a harvest of righteousness" (James 3:13,18). Let Christ shine through your character and a harvest of "fruit" will result!

IT'S ALL IN THE TASTE

The characteristic qualities of Christianity are analogous to salt. As salt gives food its pungency so the believer's testimony gives Christianity its flavor. Salt is the combination of two basic chemicals: sodium and chloride. As chloride gas is a deadly poison by itself, so faith without works is dead. Metal sodium alone is likewise destitute of the saving quality of salt. So is works without faith. As the chemical unions of these two elements form salt, so faith and works, when united, give life and efficacy to Christian character.

Abraham Lincoln stated: "Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing." The Greek word, from which our word "character" originated, signified a sharp pointed instrument or graving tool. Character is the means by which each of us makes his impression on others. The instrument itself is not the finished product, only a tool. Our actions and reactions temper the blade and make the edge more powerful or impotent. Each must forge his own character, each must be responsible for keeping it in condition and each must account to God for its results.

Character is what a person really is on the inside. Like the backbone in the body, character is the spinal column of the will. It is like the sharp scalpel in the surgeon's hand. The effectiveness of his job hinges on the sharpness of his instrument. Character is formed through our parentage, environment and peer influence. The development of good or bad characteristics hinges on the intrinsic qualities of these influences and our response to them. Our parentage may be good but if our environment or peer influence is bad and the later is given greater reception, evil traits may result. Likewise, a person may have poor parental influence and exhibit good character traits.

Studies of Bible characters supply us with ample evidence to support this premise. As a young teen, for example, Daniel was snatched from his home influence and placed in a godless environment hundreds of miles away. Yet the influence of a permissive Babylonian environment did not tarnish his strong determination to reject evil. Daniel resolved not to defile himself (Dan.1:8). He would rather risk the destruction from lions than destruction of his character.

Joseph is another example. Sold into Egypt by his hate filled brothers did not change the standard of this young teen. Honesty and integrity were the hallmarks of his character. The seductive charm of a sensuous woman could have easily led him to compromise. But integrity meant more to him than the demotion from Potipher's house to prison.

What makes the difference? It is the quality of character that is formed out of a biblical perspective. Character that conforms to utilitarianism (everyone is doing it so it must be OK for me) is man centered. Christian character that is God-centered is genuinely qualitative. When Jesus said "have salt in yourselves" He was inviting us to link up to the genuine source of taste. Psalm 34:8 puts it this way: "taste and see that the Lord is good,"and Peter adds, "now that you have taster that the Lord is good, grow up in your salvation" (I Pet.2:2-3). Daniel and Joseph endured under pressure because their characters were linked to God's

We are called to retain the distinctive flavor of authentic Christianity. As salt renders palatable otherwise tasteless food, so Christian character sweetens life's disappointments by offering a satisfying meaning to life. When Paul stated, "let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt" (Col.4:6) he was referring to a quality of life that surpassed human standards. In other words, salt of the earth Christians are to be beneficial, not superficial; authentic, and not synthetic.

It's all in the taste!